Written Answers Tuesday 3 May 2005

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support moves to prevent the alcohol industry targeting sales of alcohol to children through its sponsorship of sport.

Rhona Brankin: Alcohol advertising is a reserved matter. However, the Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems published in January 2002 committed the Executive to raising such issues with the UK Government and alcohol industry. The forthcoming update to the Plan for Action will reiterate this commitment.

Ambulance Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be adequate overnight ambulance cover for areas outwith the immediate vicinity of accident and emergency services.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has invested in the Scottish Ambulance Service at a level designed to enable it to employ more front-line staff and deliver a more responsive service for patients. Between March 2001 and March 2004 the ambulance service employed 220 additional paramedics and technicians on accident and emergency units. Demand analysis information is continuously monitored and is used by the ambulance service to ensure that resources are deployed where they will have the maximum impact on patient care.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the Scottish Cancer Research Network, since the announcement of £1 million in 2002 to support its development, in respect of promoting equity of access to trials for all patients with cancer in line with the aim in the strategy document, Cancer in Scotland: Sustaining Change .

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Cancer Research Network (SCRN) was fully established by December 2003 with designated clinical leads, managers, research nurses and other support staff in place in each of the three regional cancer network areas.

  Latest figures based on April to September 2004 show that the network has achieved the target to at least double patient recruitment to clinical trials.

  

Scotland
No. of Patients Entered into Trials 2001
(baseline)1
No. of Patients Entered into Trials
(April – September 2004)2


Total
954
1,415



  Notes:

  1. Information from Scottish Cancer Registry, ISD. Represents a 12 month period in 2001. This figure is used as a baseline against which measure progress. Information is not yet published by ISD for 2002, 2003.

  2. Information directly from the Scottish Cancer Research Network (SCRN). Represents a six month period April to September 2004.

Community Care

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14635 by Rhona Brankin on 3 March 2005, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested is contained in the following table:

  Number of Home Care Clients, by Local Authority Area, During Week Ending 31 March 1999 to 2004

  

Local Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Aberdeen City
4,766
3,602
3,001
2,779
2,514
2,904


Aberdeenshire
2,041
2,052
1,828
1,867
1,874
1,939


Angus
1,867
1,802
1,804
1,740
1,778
1,810


Argyll and Bute
950
973
927
957
965
1,060


Clackmannanshire
601
652
656
648
680
700


Dumfries and Galloway
1,880
1,669
2,015
1,755
2,048
2,050


Dundee City
2,978
2,891
2,445
2,166
1,886
1,870


East Ayrshire
1,398
1,348
1,311
1,361
1,444
1,706


East Dunbartonshire
1,010
1,022
986
1,013
1,029
1,172


East Lothian
1,196
1,287
1,195
1,267
1,128
1,451


East Renfrewshire
820
847
765
939
884
965


Edinburgh, City of
7,261
6,393
5,969
5,958
6,084
5,963


Eilean Siar
870
803
779
768
765
765


Falkirk
2,420
2,287
2,281
2,098
2,010
2,006


Fife
7,491
6,496
5,858
5,629
6,082
6,875


Glasgow City
10,048
9,763
8,802
8,789
9,040
9,102


Highland
2,999
2,915
2,748
2,670
3,055
2,957


Inverclyde
1,311
1,281
1,146
1,255
1,104
1,137


Midlothian
1,253
1,319
1,256
1,113
1,084
1,201


Moray
1,163
1,056
1,063
1,119
1,205
1,360


North Ayrshire
1,696
1,629
1,490
1,301
1,491
1,692


North Lanarkshire
2,999
3,075
2,895
3,408
4,370
4,394


Orkney Islands
492
465
442
516
428
511


Perth and Kinross
1,479
1,463
1,477
1,532
1,618
1,559


Renfrewshire
2,505
2,453
2,542
2,098
2,169
1,814


Scottish Borders
1,576
1,569
1,491
1,553
1,686
1,724


Shetland Islands
514
659
722
553
545
529


South Ayrshire
1,199
1,358
1,203
1,298
1,471
1,723


South Lanarkshire
2,773
2,629
2,445
2,326
2,568
2,709


Stirling
930
921
881
1,015
848
982


West Dunbartonshire
1,760
1,767
1,558
1,647
1,834
2,065


West Lothian
1,812
1,764
1,552
1,408
1,579
1,319


Scotland
74,058
70,210
65,533
64,546
67,266
70,014



  Source: SEHD Analytical Services Division – H1 Return.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much dentists will be paid to provide dental check-ups free to patients.

Rhona Brankin: This is being discussed with representatives of the dental profession.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists in each NHS health board area have agreed to provide dental check-ups free to patients.

Rhona Brankin: All dentists on NHS board lists are expected to undertake a full range of NHS treatments including check-ups.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists currently practising in the private sector are intending to supply an NHS dental service in light of the recent announcements on oral health.

Rhona Brankin: The majority of dentists who provide NHS general dental services are private contractors. Only a small number of dentists provide wholly private treatment and it will be for them to decide if they will join an NHS board’s dental list in order to provide NHS general dental services.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether free oral examination for people aged over 60 is available in all NHS board areas and how people who are eligible for such examination will be made aware of all local practitioners offering the service.

Rhona Brankin: Free oral health assessments for those aged 60 or over have not yet been introduced. The introduction of such checks will be supplemented by a publicity programme.

Environment

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have received an invitation from the Mayor of Doncaster or any representative of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council to visit Doncaster or in any other way be updated on any aspect of the Council’s zero waste strategy and, if so, when the invitation was received and what the response was of the minister or ministers concerned.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14896 on 9 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search .

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fisheries officer posts there were in each of the last five years, broken down by port and taking into account unfilled and new vacancies, also showing year-on-year percentage changes and expressed where possible as a ratio of the number of relevant registered vessels.

Ross Finnie: The figures requested are shown as follows:

  

Eastern Area
Aberdeen
Buckie
Eyemouth
Fraserburgh
Pittenweem
Peterhead


2000-01
Enforcement Staff
7
2
2
10
2
14


Var. (%+/-)
-
-
-
-
-
-


Reg. vessels
105
101
120
276
117
144


Ratio to reg. vessels
15.00
50.50
60.00
27.60
58.50
10.29


2001-02
Enforcement Staff
6
2
2
9
2
16


Var. (%+/-)
-14.29%
0%
0%
-10.00%
0%
+14.29%


Reg. vessels
102
100
114
270
115
133


Ratio to reg. vessels
17.00
50.00
57.00
30.00
57.50
8.31


2002-03
Enforcement Staff
5
2
2
3
2
23


Var. (%+/-)
-16.67%
0%
0%
-66.67%
0%
+43.75%


Reg. vessels
99
90
112
246
109
122


Ratio to reg. vessels
19.80
45.00
56.00
82.00
54.50
5.30


2003-04
Enforcement Staff
5
2
2
4
2
22


Var. (%+/-)
0%
0%
0%
+33.33%
0%
-4.35%


Reg. vessels
90
82
106
215
109
104


Ratio to reg. vessels
18.00
41.00
91.00
53.75
54.50
4.73


2004-05
Enforcement Staff
4
2
2
4
2
22


Var. (%+/-)
-20.00%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%


Reg. vessels
92
79
108
222
111
104


Ratio to reg. vessels
23.00
39.50
54.00
55.50
55.50
4.73

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend section 20 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 to allow a third-party to request a review of a refusal to disclose information where the applicant does not seek such a review and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive does not intend to make such an amendment to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The act has been in operation for only four months and the Executive is not aware of any evidence suggesting that its operation would be improved by an amendment of that nature.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote employment opportunities in Scotland and the Fresh Talent initiative at careers events at higher education institutions in Canada.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive’s current activities to promote Fresh Talent overseas do not include attendance at any careers events in Canada.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote employment opportunities in Scotland and the Fresh Talent initiative at careers events at higher education institutions in Australia.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive’s current activities to promote Fresh Talent overseas do not include attendance at any careers events in Australia.

General Practitioners

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have chosen not to fund minor injuries services through general practices in their area under the new GP contract.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no figures held for NHS boards opting not to fund the enhanced payments scheme for provision of minor injuries services through general practices in their area under the new GP contract. To underpin the new UK-wide GMS contract there is a Patient Services Guarantee to ensure that patients receive a consistent range of high quality services throughout the UK. The new contract ensures that patients have access to a wide range of services delivered in primary care settings and it is the responsibility of the NHS board to provide such services as minor injury within their region if the local need requires, whilst ensuring that the Patient Service Guarantee is delivered by guaranteeing patients at least the range of services that they enjoyed under the previous contract.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14446 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 March 2005, in which specific locations the treatments for acoustic neuroma (a) ENT surgery, (b) neurosurgery, (c) stereotactic radiosurgery and (d) stereotactic radiotherapy are carried out.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information on the specific locations for ENT surgery and neurosurgery for acoustic neuroma is not held centrally. Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy equipment is currently available in Edinburgh and Dundee.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14446 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 March 2005, whether there are any treatments for acoustic neuroma that are not provided in Scotland for which patients have to be sent to another country and, if so, how many patients have been sent to other countries in each of the last five years, broken down by country.

Mr Andy Kerr: Surgical techniques, stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy to treat acoustic neuroma are available in Scotland. An alternative method of delivery of radiotherapy treatment is a Gamma Knife. There is only one centre in the United Kingdom that provides this form of treatment.

  For 2000 and 2001 (the most recent years for which data is available) the Scottish Cancer Registry has no record of any patients with acoustic neuroma being treated in other UK countries. Information is not held centrally on treatment that may have been provided in countries outside the United Kingdom.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many histopathology units there are in each NHS board area; how many it projects that there will be in (a) five years and (b) ten years, and what plans are in place to provide additional resources to clinical laboratories to meet the demands of waiting list and waiting time initiatives.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested about existing laboratories and plans for further developments is shown in the following table. It is for NHS boards to determine how to allocate resources to local services.

  

Board Area
Number of Histopathology Laboratories
Additional Comments


NHS Argyle and Clyde
1
A review of Laboratory services across NHS Argyle and Clyde has just been completed and its recommendations are under consideration. 


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
1
The board is planning investment to meet anticipated demand in 2005–06.


NHS Borders
Nil
Histopathology services for the Borders are provided by NHS Lothian.


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
1
It is likely that this will remain the number for the foreseeable future.


NHS Fife
1
The Board is developing clinical links with Dundee and Aberdeen.


NHS Forth Valley
1
Workload expected to expand significantly in next 5-10 years


NHS Grampian
1
No plans to increase the number of laboratories


NHS Greater Glasgow
4
In the short-term it is intended to create a single management structure for histopathology. Over a 6-10 year timescale, it is proposed that a single large histopathology centre for Greater Glasgow be established on a common site. The board has made significant investments in all services connected to the delivery of waiting times targets. A strategy is being developed to modernise clinical laboratory provision in Greater Glasgow.


NHS Highland
1
No significant changes planned.


NHS Lanarkshire
3
Moving to two within this year by amalgamating Wishaw and Hairmyres. There may in due course be a further reduction within the next five years to a single histopathology lab.


NHS Lothian
3
The Pan-Lothian Laboratory Review is considering whether the current histopathology service could be provided centrally from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.


NHS Orkney
Nil
Service will continue to be commissioned from NHS Grampian and other Boards as appropriate.


NHS Shetland
Nil
Board will continue to commission service from NHS Grampian.


NHS Tayside
1
The Board has recently invested in pathology with the appointment of an additional two pathologists.


NHS Western Isles
Nil
Board will continue to commission service from NHS Highland.



  Source: NHS boards, April 2005.

  The Executive is also supporting, through the regional planning groups, the development of a Managed Clinical Network in Histopathology which will be responsible for developing a framework for the introduction of new technologies and new ways of working. In particular, the network will implement the PathAlba project, a telemedicine initiative funded by the Executive, which will ensure that specialist pathology expertise is available for the benefit of patients across Scotland irrespective of geographical location.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults and children receive hospital dialysis, broken down by Scottish Parliament constituency.

Mr Andy Kerr: On 31 December 2004 there were 1,510 adults, young people and children registered on the Scottish Renal Registry (SRR) as using hospital haemodialysis as treatment for established renal failure. The distribution by Scottish Parliament constituency is shown in the following table. Due to the small numbers of children involved, the data has not been split by age.

  

Scottish Parliament Constituency
Hospital Haemodialysis Patients


Aberdeen Central
18


Aberdeen North
36


Aberdeen South
20


Airdrie and Shotts
26


Angus
17


Argyll and Bute
13


Ayr
18


Banff and Buchan
19


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
23


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
18


Central Fife
22


Clydebank and Milngavie
10


Clydesdale
30


Coatbridge and Chryston
19


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
15


Cunninghame North
25


Cunninghame South
15


Dumbarton
23


Dumfries
29


Dundee East
28


Dundee West
27


Dunfermline East
16


Dunfermline West
23


East Kilbride
21


East Lothian
17


Eastwood
21


Edinburgh Central
20


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
32


Edinburgh North and Leith
19


Edinburgh Pentlands
19


Edinburgh South
21


Edinburgh West
23


Falkirk East
15


Falkirk West
24


Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
14


Glasgow Anniesland
17


Glasgow Baillieston
25


Glasgow Cathcart
22


Glasgow Govan
28


Glasgow Kelvin
18


Glasgow Maryhill
21


Glasgow Pollok
20


Glasgow Rutherglen
21


Glasgow Shettleston
25


Glasgow Springburn
26


Gordon
20


Greenock and Inverclyde
27


Hamilton North and Bellshill
23


Hamilton South
14


Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber
28


Kilmarnock and Loudoun
19


Kirkcaldy
24


Linlithgow
10


Livingston
17


Midlothian
27


Moray
17


Motherwell and Wishaw
31


North East Fife
12


North Tayside
24


Ochil
19


Paisley North
24


Paisley South
19


Perth
23


Ross, Skye and Inverness West
20


Roxburgh and Berwickshire
14


Stirling
17


Strathkelvin and Bearsden
25


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
16


West Renfrewshire
13


Other Constiuencies2
6


Not Known1
49


Scotland
1,510



  Source: Scottish Renal Registry.

  Notes:

  1. Parliamentary constituency is derived from the patient’s postcode. It is not possible to determine the parliamentary constituency of these patients.

  2. To preserve patient confidentiality some parliamentary constituencies (Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Eilean Siar) with a small number of patients have been grouped together.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults and children receive home dialysis, broken down by Scottish Parliament constituency.

Mr Andy Kerr: On 31 December 2004 there were 44 adults, young people and children registered on the Scottish Renal Registry as using home haemodialysis as treatment for established renal failure. Due to the small numbers, the figures have not been presented by age or Scottish Parliament constituency.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults and children have received a kidney transplant, broken down by Scottish Parliament constituency.

Mr Andy Kerr: On 31 December 2004 there were 1,704 adults, young people and children registered on the Scottish Renal Registry with a functioning kidney transplant. The distribution by Scottish Parliament constituency is shown in the following table. Due to the small numbers of children involved, the data has not been split by age.

  

Scottish Parliament Constituency
People with a Functioning Kidney Transplant


Aberdeen Central
28


Aberdeen North
19


Aberdeen South
16


Airdrie and Shotts
25


Angus
43


Argyll and Bute
16


Ayr
26


Banff and Buchan
20


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
17


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
21


Central Fife
11


Clydebank and Milngavie
18


Clydesdale
31


Coatbridge and Chryston
29


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
18


Cunninghame North
26


Cunninghame South
21


Dumbarton
24


Dumfries
21


Dundee East
32


Dundee West
24


Dunfermline East
29


Dunfermline West
18


East Kilbride
24


East Lothian
25


Eastwood
37


Edinburgh Central
17


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
26


Edinburgh North and Leith
22


Edinburgh Pentlands
25


Edinburgh South
27


Edinburgh West
21


Falkirk East
17


Falkirk West
26


Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
22


Glasgow Anniesland
31


Glasgow Baillieston
25


Glasgow Cathcart
30


Glasgow Govan
19


Glasgow Kelvin
26


Glasgow Maryhill
15


Glasgow Pollok
19


Glasgow Rutherglen
26


Glasgow Shettleston
23


Glasgow Springburn
22


Gordon
18


Greenock and Inverclyde
23


Hamilton North and Bellshill
16


Hamilton South
27


Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber
26


Kilmarnock and Loudoun
20


Kirkcaldy
21


Linlithgow
21


Livingston
30


Midlothian
21


Moray
24


Motherwell and Wishaw
20


North East Fife
16


North Tayside
19


Ochil
19


Paisley North
17


Paisley South
20


Perth
27


Ross, Skye and Inverness West
19


Roxburgh and Berwickshire
15


Stirling
16


Strathkelvin and Bearsden
33


Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
10


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
29


West Renfrewshire
28


Other Constiuencies2
23


Not Known1
88


Scotland
1,704



  Source: Scottish Renal Registry and UK Transplant.

  Notes:

  1. Parliamentary constituency is derived from the patient’s postcode. It is not possible to determine the parliamentary constituency of these patients.

  2. To preserve patient confidentiality some parliamentary constituencies (Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Eilean Siar) with a small number of patients have been grouped together.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults and children are waiting for a kidney transplant, broken down by Scottish Parliament constituency.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scottish Renal Units and the Scottish Renal Registry collaborate with UK Transplant on the compilation of statistics for transplant activity. UK Transplant data as at December 2004 show that 421 people in Scotland were on the "Active (kidney) transplant list".

  Information is not currently available from UK Transplant by Scottish Parliament constituency.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults and children who receive renal replacement therapy live within the standard of 30 minutes travel time from hospital dialysis set by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, broken down by Scottish Parliament constituency.

Mr Andy Kerr: While the full information requested is not held centrally, the latest figures from the Scottish Renal Registry suggest that 90% of patients live within 30 minutes travel time of their dialysis unit.

  The statement in the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland standards comes into the "desirable" category, and was included to ensure that renal units were considering the possibility of satellite units, where appropriate, to minimise travelling times for patients. NHS boards are working to expand the number of Satellite Units in Scotland to bring services closer to patients.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the percentage increase in the number of adults requiring renal replacement therapy by 2010.

Mr Andy Kerr: Extrapolating from Scottish Renal Registry data, the Acute Services Review (June 1998) predicted a rate of 720 patients per million population (pmp) requiring renal replacement therapy by 2010.

  In considering such predictions, several factors need to be taken into account, including the number of renal transplants and the outcomes following them, and the possible impact of new approaches to the identification and management of chronic kidney disease.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14008 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 February 2005, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Mr Andy Kerr: An amended version of the answer provided for question S2W-14008 is as follows.

  Information based on all admissions to general acute hospitals during 2003-04 is shown in the table.

  Complete data on psychiatric admissions is not available for 2002-03 or 2003-04. In 2001-02 there were 3,918 such admissions in Scotland for alcohol related conditions; 1,458 for drug abuse and two for obesity.

  Scottish General Acute Hospital1,2 Discharge Records With An Explicit Diagnosis of Alcohol Related Conditions, Drug Misuse or Obesity: 2003-04P

  

Area of Residence
Diagnosis3


Alcohol Related Conditions
Drug Misuse
Obesity


Argyll and Clyde
4,033
464
420


Ayrshire and Arran
4,149
642
461


Borders
650
43
99


Dumfries and Galloway
1,082
90
205


Fife
2,094
315
490


Forth Valley
1,624
145
212


Grampian
4,285
524
626


Greater Glasgow
10,961
1,664
1,036


Highland
2,846
67
406


Lanark
4,755
257
384


Lothian
6,327
748
931


Tayside
2,510
160
247


Islands4
858
26
75


Scotland
46,174
5,145
5,592


Other (Non-Scotland Residents)
598
81
45



  Source: SMR01 (valid records only).

  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals (excludes maternity hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units).

  2. Information on hospital discharges relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the attached table. Transfer cases have been included.

  3. Diagnostic information is defined by using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10). Alcohol related conditions: F10, R780, Y90, Y91, Z637, Z811, Z864, Z714, Z502, T506, Y573, T510, T519, X45, X65, Y15, O354, Q860, P043, Z721, Z133, G621, G721, K860, I426, K70, K292, G312, E52. Drug Misuse: F11, F12, F13, F14, F15, F16, F18, F19. Obesity: E66.

  4. Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30891 by Dr Richard Simpson on 20 November 2002, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Tavish Scott: The following table updates the information to 2003-04. As in the previous answer, all numbers have been rounded to the nearest ten. Because of this, the individual figures may not sum precisely to the totals for Scotland.

  Excess Winter Deaths 1 in Scotland: 1997-98 – 2003-04

  

 
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-042


Scotland3
2,610
4,750
5,190
2,220
1,840
2,510
2,840


(a) by Health Board Area


Argyll and Clyde
340
290
400
100
180
270
200


Ayrshire and Arran
130
380
380
90
100
170
230


Borders
10
130
120
50
40
40
40


Dumfries and Galloway
30
160
130
70
50
80
30


Fife
120
330
310
280
200
90
150


Forth Valley
160
220
260
150
30
120
180


Grampian
250
520
490
190
160
280
320


Greater Glasgow
520
980
1,040
460
410
570
490


Highland
90
170
130
60
80
70
130


Lanarkshire
340
440
530
250
210
250
400


Lothian
370
620
850
360
220
360
400


Orkney
20
0
20
0
10
10
10


Shetland
10
40
20
10
10
-10
10


Tayside
230
450
450
180
130
210
260


Western Isles
10
30
70
-10
10
-10
0


(b) by Age Group


Under 65
170
380
650
260
80
350
330


65 - 74
730
790
970
370
230
300
510


75 - 84
950
1,660
1,820
820
820
940
840


85+
760
1,920
1,750
760
710
920
1,170


(c) by Gender
 


Males
1,080
1,970
2,230
910
630
940
1,070


Females
1,530
2,780
2,960
1,310
1,210
1,570
1,770



  Notes:

  1. "Excess Winter Deaths" are defined as the difference between the number of deaths in December to March and the average of the preceding and succeeding four month periods. A negative figure occurs when the average non-winter deaths exceed the winter deaths.

  2. Figures for 2003-04 are provisional and may be subject to revision.

  3. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Consequently, individual figures may not sum to the totals for Scotland.

Housing

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6233 by Ms Margaret Curran on 30 March 2004, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the tables.

Malcolm Chisholm: The updated information is set out in the following tables. Allocations are determined on an annual basis taking into account the outturn in previous years. The figures for 2004-05 underspend are provisional.

  Table 1: Allocation of NHP Resources

  

Council
NHP Final Allocations in 1998-99
NHP Final Allocations in 1999-2000
NHP Final Allocations in 2000-01
NHP Final Allocations in 2001-02
NHP Final Allocations in 2002-03
NHP Final Allocations in 2003-04
NHP Final Allocations in 2004-05


Aberdeen City
330,000
302,000
390,020
446,208
0
0
0


Aberdeenshire
65,000
1,028,490
2,105,021
3,412,410
0
0
323,768


Argyll and Bute
0
95,000
71,250
100,000
150,000
582,500
1,037,927


Clackmannanshire
780,000
100,000
21,000
13,750
0
0
0


Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
56,000
116,000
167,000
134,600
566,750
717,461
571,642


Dumfries and Galloway
100,000
350,000
1,125,425
2,576,048
799,300
118,097
0


Dundee City
3,275,000
7,081,000
8,288,250
12,448,349
2,615,242
1,093,680
903,822


East Ayrshire
1,260,967
0
0
0
0
0
60,000


East Dunbartonshire
319,000
534,000
828,000
427,100
792,152
469,382
1,044,000


East Lothian
2,945,000
2,149,000
2,702,850
2,720,000
1,800,000
1,213,925
223,925


East Renfrewshire
25,000
100,000
100,000
0
0
0
0


City of Edinburgh
7,718,000
8,958,042
13,556,930
8,551,520
4,873,156
4,674,760
4,331,484


Falkirk
200,000
200,000
0
0
0
0
0


Fife
125,000
319,000
0
573,000
475,419
14,300
0


Glasgow City
8,915,000
8,215,000
14,954,289
22,988,000
27,466,504
2,360,000
912,000


Highland
993,000
1,468,450
3,133,108
2,780,927
524,394
0
0


Inverclyde
33,000
129,000
98,333
210,000
194,493
14,856
308,000


Midlothian
0
31,000
154,000
15,000
0
0
0


Moray
20,000
912,640
937,000
1,629,336
9,201,382
0
0


North Ayrshire
82,000
639,000
542,056
1,817,553
809,060
41,507
41,507


North Lanarkshire
4,752,000
4,581,630
2,250,000
1,261,400
46,000
0
0


Orkney Islands
0
99,500
0
67,046
0
0
0


Perth and Kinross
187,000
113,000
47,000
275,000
310,693
0
23,394


Renfrewshire
93,000
999,000
629,000
984,336
1,016,318
110,845
83,856


Scottish Borders
105,000
369,298
767,000
3,608,894
650,343
55,949
0


Shetland
200,000
451,000
219,000
442,000
230,828
0
0


South Ayrshire
0
140,000
75,886
0
0
0
0


South Lanarkshire
750,000
1,706,000
2,465,000
4,280,000
2,180,672
0
0


Stirling
310,000
1,751,000
3,236,780
1,411,091
1,547,141
1,127,249
0


W. Dunbartonshire
15,000
0
70,000
30,000
0
0
56,050


West Lothian
2,630,000
2,393,000
1,849,040
2,487,037
1,834,989
1,093,595
109,739


Total
36,283,967
45,331,050
60,783,238
75,690,605
58,084,836
13,688,106
10,031,114



  Table 2: Underspend Against Allocation of NHP Resources

  

Council
Underspend in 1998-99
Underspend in 1999-2000
Underspend in 2000-01
Underspend in 2001-02
Underspend in 2002-03
Underspend in 2003-04
Underspend in 2004-05


Aberdeen City
187,000
100,000
0
0
0
0
0


Aberdeenshire
0
0
0
0
0
0
323,768


Argyll and Bute
0
0
71,250
100,000
42,327
389,900
538,675


Clackmannanshire
0
20,975
13,776
0
0
0
0


Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
35,000
63,595
44,750
0
191,563
118,261
0


Dumfries and Galloway
0
6
0
85,048
0
0
0


Dundee City
2,563,000
5,272,685
371,718
80,000
90,000
25,858
0


East Ayrshire
0
0
0
0
0
0
4,800


East Dunbartonshire
1,000
361,751
448,413
0
95,982
101,681
485,000


East Lothian
1,025,241
887,822
919,000
0
0
223,925
223,925


East Renfrewshire
0
100,000
20,000
0
0
0
0


City of Edinburgh
1,669,468
658,000
589,332
345,950
259,249
0
593,796


Falkirk
200,000
10,000
0
0
0
0
0


Fife
29,000
185,420
0
139,669
66,463
0
0


Glasgow City
1,932,680
126,465
3,497,097
4,762,152
3,061,350
912,000
662,000


Highland
77,000
120,460
139,050
524,394
0
0
0


Inverclyde
33,000
85,100
24,133
170,360
97,988
0
0


Midlothian
0
31,000
15,000
0
0
0
0


Moray
12,000
7,000
98,293
0
30
0
0


North Ayrshire
4,000
187,455
536,611
740,076
0
0
0


North Lanarkshire
226,571
86,000
11,625
0
0
0
0


Orkney Islands
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Perth and Kinross
113,000
47,000
41,128
43,290
0
0
0


Renfrewshire
0
979,543
103,733
7,182
0
0
0


Scottish Borders
22,000
0
0
619,294
0
0
0


Shetland
0
346,208
71,749
743
250
0
0


South Ayrshire
0
18,887
0
0
0
0
0


South Lanarkshire
-75,000
69,300
1,138,888
1,332,103
0
0
0


Stirling
306,000
178,788
601,319
0
0
0
0


West Dunbartonshire
4,000
0
0
30,000
0
0
18,857


West Lothian
543,000
250,000
263,362
0
0
0
0


Total
8,907,960
10,193,460
9,020,227
8,980,261
3,905,202
1,771,625
2,850,821

Land

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22518 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 13 February 2002, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the total with the data in the table.

Mr Jim Wallace: Yes. The revised table is as follows:

  

Funding Type
Applicant Group
HIE Funding Approved


Project Officer
Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust
£30,000


Project Officer
The Laggan Forest Trust Forestry Company Ltd
£24,391


Project Officer
The Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust
£20,839


Project Officer
Fernaig Community Trust
£24,520


Project Officer
Kinlochleven Land Development Trust
£17,333


Project Officer
Colonsay Community Development Company
£29,680


Total
 
£146,763

Marine Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, responses to its consultation on a strategic framework for the marine environment supported a Marine Act for Scotland.

Ross Finnie: Of the 104 substantive responses received to the consultation on developing a strategic framework for Scotland’s marine environment, 42 respondents (40%) were in favour of a Marine Act for Scotland.

  In addition, 730 responses were received as part of a postcard and e-mail campaign initiated by WWF which called for a Marine Act. Together with the substantive responses this represents 93% of the 834 responses received.

Meat Industry

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in implementing the national beef envelope and what its response is to any concerns by farmers that claims under the scheme have not been processed timeously, that deadlines for applications have been altered and that the regulations are too complex.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Beef Calf Scheme has effect from 1 January 2005 but the formal opening of the scheme was held until the SSI governing it came into force. We kept producers and our stakeholders informed of the position and we put procedures in place to handle claims received prior to the formal opening of the scheme. The SSI (2005 No. 143) came into force on 18 April 2005 and we formally opened the scheme for applications the same day. This did not affect the eligibility criteria, including the claim period, detailed in the Notes for Guidance. No formal concerns have been received about this or the complexity of the regulations. On the contrary, the scheme has been praised for its flexibility and simplicity.

Medical Students

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the recommendations in the Calman report in respect of additional undergraduate medical student places and medical schools’ admission policies; whether it will make a statement on its position, and when its decision on the report’s findings will be announced.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is carefully considering the implications of Sir Kenneth Calman’s report and will look to publish its response as soon as possible.

NHS Charges

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy on introducing charges for NHS patients, such as car parking and Patientline TV; whether it supports individual NHS boards levying such charges, and whether it has a position on further extension of charges within the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to my answer to question S2O-6031 on 14 April 2005. I also refer the member to the answer my colleague, Malcolm Chisholm, gave to question S2W-7206 on 28 April 2004.

  Decisions on whether to charge for car parking facilities or the installation of the Patientline facility in NHS hospitals is one for local determination.

NHS Equipment

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the NHS wheelchair repair service, in particular by addressing waits of up to four days with no temporary replacement chairs provided and preventing disabled people remaining bed-bound while they wait for repairs to be carried out.

Rhona Brankin: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) has been commissioned to look at possible options for redesign of the NHS wheelchair service. The aim of the review is to provide a plan for improved NHS wheelchair service provision across the whole of Scotland. The review will identify the needs of all people using the service and make recommendations in consultation with stakeholders on how the service might be improved.

NHS Equipment

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are currently provided in the NHS per week per patient to maintain wheelchairs.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which NHS board areas there is a shortage of consultant pathologists; how many consultant pathologist posts are currently filled by locum staff, and what plans are in place to address any current shortage.

Mr Andy Kerr: Pathology is included within a number of specialties which are grouped by ISD Scotland under the heading "Clinical Laboratory Specialties".

  Within this group, the number of consultants in post had increased by almost 3% between 1999 and 2004. At 30 September 2004, the vacancy rate for the consultant posts was 7.1%. This was below the average for "all specialties" in Scotland which was 7.4% at the same date.

  Information on the number of vacancies by NHS board is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

  At 30 September 2004, there were three (2.4 whole-time equivalent) NHS employed locums. These locums will not necessarily be filling vacant posts but may be covering for staff on, for example, annual or sick leave. Information on the use of agency locums is not available centrally.

  The Scottish Executive Health Department, NHS Education Scotland and NHS Boards are working closely together to increase consultant capacity and hard to fill vacancies are being targeted.

New Deal

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7400 by Henry McLeish on 14 June 2000, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scotland totals in the table of the answer to question S1W-7400 are accurate. However, the table should have been issued with a footnote explaining why the Scotland totals did not match the sum of the figures in all the Scottish Local Enterprise Company (LEC) areas.

  The Scotland totals are the published figures for the Scotland Jobcentre Plus region. However, the sum of all the Scottish LEC areas does not match the Scottish regional totals. This is because clients may have incomplete postcodes so cannot be allocated to a LEC area but are included in the Scottish total.

  The Table is reissued below with the footnotes that were omitted in the answer to question S1W-7400.

  Table 1: Participation and Cumulative Starts for Over 50 Year Olds on New Deal 25 Plus by LEC Area at End-March 2000.

  

LEC Area
Aged 50+ Participation
Aged 50+ Cumulative Starts


Ayrshire
262
909


Borders
39
92


Dunbartonshire
157
470


Dumfries and Galloway
148
377


Fife
123
475


Forth Valley
31
83


Glasgow
485
1,259


Grampian
69
260


Lanarkshire
208
727


Lothian and Edinburgh
234
726


Renfrewshire
174
557


Tayside
220
753


Argyll and Bute
64
188


Caithness and Sutherland
66
176


Inverness and Nairn
38
116


Lochaber
12
30


Moray and Badenoch
34
122


Orkney
20
58


Ross and Cromarty
29
96


Shetland
5
29


Skye and Lochalsh
14
35


Western Isles
9
27


Scotland
2,506
7,667



  Source: New Deal Evaluation Database, Department for Work and Pensions

  Note: The Scotland totals are the published figures for the Scotland Jobcentre Plus region. However, the sum of all the Scottish LEC areas does not match the Scottish regional totals. This is because clients may have incomplete postcodes so cannot be allocated to a LEC area but are included in the Scottish total.

Nursing

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15496 by Susan Deacon on 10 July 2001, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on staff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce . Whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery staff vacancies by NHS board for each year since 2001 can be found in table E10 of Section E. The latest available figures are at 31 March 2004.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15187 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 March 2005, when it will provide a substantive answer to the question.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15186 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 March 2005, when it will provide a substantive answer to the question.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15183 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 March 2005, when it will provide a substantive answer to the question.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15184 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 March 2005, when it will provide a substantive answer to the question.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15185 by Ms Margaret Curran on 24 March 2005, when it will provide a substantive answer to the question.

Ms Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a number of issues relating to this matter. I will write to the member as soon as a conclusion has been reached.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is planning to make it a criminal offence to disobey enforcement notices, stop notices and interim interdicts issued, or taken out, in the name of local authority planning departments.

Johann Lamont: The Scottish Executive is committed, under the Partnership Agreement, to consider improving the planning system in Scotland. In order to meet its commitments under the agreement, the Executive is reviewing the planning process, including planning enforcement.

  It is our aim to publish a white paper before the parliamentary summer recess, setting out in detail proposed reforms, including any proposals for planning enforcement.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it gives to planning appeals where the applicant has ignored the notices of the local authority planning department.

Johann Lamont: Appeals against the refusal of planning permission are dealt with on their individual planning merits. It would be normal for the planning authority to advise the appointed inquiry reporter of any enforcement notices as part of their representations.

  Where it is the case that, in respect of a particular development, there is an appeal against an enforcement notice at the same time as a planning appeal a single reporter would normally be appointed to deal with both cases.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on its review of NHS prescription charges.

Mr Andy Kerr: The review comprises two phases. Phase 1, a literature research project, is now complete. Phase 2 will commence later in the year and will take the form of a wide ranging consultation with members of the public, patient interest groups, NHS professionals and other key stakeholders. A report on the research findings is currently under consideration and will inform the preparation of the phase 2 consultation document

Recycling

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13423 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2005, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Ross Finnie: The answer should have said that "around" £126 million had been provided, rather than "over" £126 million. The actual amount provided was £125,748,197. I apologise for the error.

Speech and Language Therapy

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the action taken by NHS boards, and supported by the Executive, to boost the number of speech and language therapists will have on reducing waiting times for patients.

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target for the maximum length of time a patient should wait to see a speech and language therapist.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for NHS boards and local authorities to determine levels of service provision based on local needs. Currently, there is no national waiting time target for speech and language therapy.

Waste Management

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent waste from the Republic of Ireland being dumped in Scottish landfill sites.

Ross Finnie: Waste from the Republic of Ireland may legally be landfilled in Scotland, providing it is imported into the UK in line with the provisions of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994 and other applicable legislation. Where waste from the Republic of Ireland is present in Scotland regulation of landfill sites and policing waste shipments are operational matters for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency assisted, where necessary, by the police.

  The 1994 regulations, as they relate to international trade, are reserved to Westminster.

Waste Management

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will remove Fermanagh Waste Recycling from the Register of Waste Carriers.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not maintain the Register of Waste Carriers. The register is maintained for Scotland by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The agency is not, however, responsible for maintaining the respective registers in other parts of the United Kingdom.

Wildlife

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12957 by Tavish Scott on 20 January 2005, whether it has reached a conclusion on whether to conduct a review of the Game (Scotland) Acts and, if so, when the review will commence, what its timescale will be and what opportunities will be available for stakeholders to make a contribution.

Lewis Macdonald: These matters remain under active consideration and an announcement will be made shortly.